An Open Letter to President Trump
Date: January 2, 2020
Donald J. Trump
President of the United States
White House
Washington, DC 20500
Dear President Trump,
Americans often welcome in the New Year by making resolutions. In that spirit, many of us are committing to taking steps to improve our health. We’re resolving to move more, eat better and get more fresh air. We’re trying to improve our financial health as well, by spending more wisely. Mr. President, with one action, you could help us achieve all of these things:
Stop our withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement.
Our organizations represent hundreds of thousands of our country’s doctors, nurses and other health care providers. We are seeing, right now, the harms to our health that global warming is creating. We foresee much greater health harms to all Americans, especially our children and grandchildren, if we do not join with the rest of the world to respond to the climate crisis—because climate change is a public health emergency.
Rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement is not just about preventing the worst of the devastating health harms climate change will bring. It’s also about seizing this public health crisis and turning it into a major public health opportunity. Climate solutions are health solutions.
Accelerating the inevitable progress toward renewable energy and energy efficiency will allow us all to breathe cleaner air and drink cleaner water. Building our communities and transportation systems to be biking- and walking-friendly, and building more affordable mass transit will help people live more active, healthier lifestyles. Climate-friendly approaches to agriculture, soil management and forests will improve the quality of our food, water and air.
Every one of these steps will save lives, increase productivity and reduce health costs.
America can do this. And the world needs America’s leadership.
President Trump, we ask you to make a New Year’s resolution that will protect and improve the health of every American next year and every year to come.
Stop the withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.
Signed, Mona Sarfaty, MD
Executive Director
Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health
We join with the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health, to ask President Donald J. Trump to make a New Year’s Resolution to protect Americans’ health, safety and wellbeing by stopping the withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
| Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology American Association for Community Psychiatry American College of Physicians American Medical Association American Medical Student Association American Medical Women’s Association American Mental Health Association Association of Academic Physiatrists California Medical Association Center for Climate Change and Health Chef Clinic Citizens’ Climate Lobby Clean Air Carolina: Medical Advocates for Healthy Air Climate Health Now Climate Psychiatry Alliance Endocrine Society |
Florida Clinicians for Climate Action Georgia State Medical Association Islamic Medical Association of North America Massachusetts Medical Society Medical Students for a Sustainable Future Montana Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate National Association of Social Workers National Association of Social Workers: North Carolina National Medical Association Ohio Clinicians for Climate Action Physicians for Social Responsibility RelationshipCounseling The OneWelfare Phoenix Project T. Leroy Jefferson Medical Society Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment Vermont Climate and Health Alliance Virginia Clinicians for Climate Action |
| Martina Abba-Richard Susan S. Abrahms Carmen Acevedo Kelsi Adams, MSW Whitney Akhtar, LCSW Natalie Allen, LCSW Molly Alvord, MSW, LCSW-C David Ammend, MD Alex Aria Hajra Aziz Shaileen Backman Holly Baird, MBA Lee C. Ballance, MD Kess L. Ballentine Swechya Banskota John Barbieri, MD Annie Barr Allan Barsky, JD, PhD Beth Barta, LCSW Ingrid W Bauer, MD Melissa Becerra Bianca Bell, LMSW Mark Alan Bell, LMSW Aileen Beaver Mae Bennett Bradi Bergesen Linda Berkowitz Kurstie Bevelhymer-Rangel, MSW, LSW Maya Bither Michael Blacet Rosemary Blakemore Ashley R. Blanchard, MSW Alisha Bolin, MSW Genna Bonfiglio, MD Candidate Linda Bong Markus Boos MD, PhD Moi Boudoir Emilie Boyes Stephany Brackett Rachel Brannon George Brengel Andrea Brixius Megan Brodie Nancy Brower Cynthia Brown Timothy A. Brown Jerrold Brucker Heather Bryant Laurie Butler-Echandia Kathy Byers Jennifer Byrne Dr. Marie A. Cabiya Ashleigh N. Cameron Jacqueline Campbell Karlene Cappell Rosemarie Carbino Catherine Carroll Janet Castellini Dionne Catledge, LCSW Dennis Chapman, PhD, LCSW Michele Chaudhry, LICSW Jean Christianson Esther Chung, MD Valeria Clarke Dawn Clayton Theresa Cluse-Tolar Heather Clutter Carrie Cochran Rhonda E. Cofield Amy Collins, MD Cloe Cooper Frank A. Cornella, DDS, MD Dustin Jeremy Corwin Tyler Coy Tabitha Curtis Roxana Daneshjou, MD, PhD Vincenza Dante Barbara Davis, LCSW Susan Deisroth Elizabeth (Lisa) Del Buono, MD Zelda Demmel Barb Detlefsen Kelley Dennings Joelle Depeyrot Corinne DeRosa Alberto Diaz Yesenias Diaz Rita L. DiVenti Carey Doetschman Elizabeth Douglas Thomas M. Durante Elena Earl Erica Echeverri Julian M Edelman Shannon Ehlert Luise Eichenbaum Ruth L. Eichler Peter M. Elias, MD, MS Michal Elias-Bachrach Bernadette Elinsky Haley Elson Lauren Emma Christine A. Fahey Dorothy A. Faller Michael A. Fasulo, LCSW (retired) Estelle Fineberg Eli Finer Janet L. Finn Michael Forster Samantha Foss Jeffrey Frank Jessica Frankel Anita Louise Franz, OSF, LCSW Robert Fraser Susan M. Frechette, LCSW Jo Frederic Faith Freedman Richard Galvin J. Gamble Iliana D. Garcia Megan Garver Dianne Gaschler Lisa Gelczis Helen C. Gennari Audrey Gerdt Janice Giampaoli Haley Gilmore Casey Golab, MD Roger Goldblatt Madeline Gonzalez Elisa Gores Jacqueline Graham, MSW Susanne Groenendaal Robert Haas Virginia E. Haase Julie Hadler Heidi C. Hall Analisa V. Halpern, MD Carol Halpern Remi Hamel Heather A. Hamilton-Drach, LSW, MSW Julie H. Hansen, LCSW Stephen L. Hansen, MD Deborah L. Haradon Vickie Haralson Lynne Harrison Carolyn Hart-Hults Nicolaus Hawbaker Courtney Haworth Carol Hendler Robin Hershkowitz Jane Hesser Andrea Hill Brigid Hilton June Hobbs Susan Gail Holmen Natalie Hopfield Lisa Hoskins Amber Howard Sherry Hubbard Barbara J. Huhn Alyssa Jenkins Amber Johnson LCDR Christopher Johnson Gail Johnson, LCSW Heather A. Jones, MD Tynesha Jones, LCSW Peter G. Joseph, MD Mildred C. Joyner Jamie K. Henry Kahn, MD Lindsay Kant Lisa E. Katz Kevin Keefe Sherill Keenan-Kalmer, MSW, LCSW Catherine Keever Karen Keniston Lauren H. Kerstein Anu Kewalramani, MD Laney Kibel Renata Kiefer, MD Pamela Kiernan Lori D. Kinstad Mary Anne Knapp Amanda M. Knee MaryEllen Kober Susan M. Kocik Emily E. Kofron Laura Kogel Heidi Kolman Tina Koopersmith Judith Kowalik, LICSW Ann Marie Kraemer Christina Krantz Michelle Kraut Bruce Krawisz, MD David LaCharite Ashley Lambert Karin D. Laszakovits Marlene L. Lathrop Dorfman Laura Gabrielle Lee, BSW Krissa Lee-Regier, LCSW Julie LeMaster |
Jay Lemery Julia Levine Cheryl Lewis-Gilpatrick JD Lewis-Kelly Suzanne R. Lippuner Judith Little Nancy E. Livingston Kalliopie River Llewellyn-Moon Erin Locke, MD Anna Luby JoAnn Lusky Kristin A. Lynch, MD, FAAP Amber MacCarthy Edward Maibach, MPH, PhD Deborah Malgeri Megan Malgeri Nina Manganaris Harmonie Mangin Edith Mann Jeffrey Mann Karen Marshall Susan L. Martin Harleen Marwah Helen Maslocka, PhD Bob Mason, LCSW Derek S. Mason Josephine McAllister, MD Timothy H. McCalmont, MD Ronda McCarthy, MD, MPH Barbara McCloud Ashley McClure, MD, FACP Brittany McConnell Jenny McCormick, LCSW-C William H. McCoy IV, MD, PhD Gregory McGann, LCSW Keanan McGonigle, MD, MPP Bonnie McKeegan, LCSW Patricia Mercer Martha Michael Alicia Miller Ashley A. Miller Linda Menesez Mark B. Mengel, MD, MPH Mike Menzel, MD Linda Mertz Eman Mesgina Melissa Mojica Cruz, BSW Alejandro Molina-García F. Michael Montgomery Samantha Moon Terry Moore Gail F. Moran, LCSW Amy E. Morgan Vicki Muir N. Nanjad Peggy B. Nash Carmen Negron Dawn Nemeth Sheila Nissim Jessica Oakes Elizabeth S. Omberg Nuria Querol, MD, MSc, BSc Claudia Ramirez Elise Riley, MD Paul Robinson, MD, PhD Cheyanne Rocha Neumeyer Paul Nghiem, MD, PhD Megan Noe Annalise Oatman Karen Oberg Michael O’Connell Allison O’Connor Tijuana Odom Kate O’Donnell Carole Olderman Karen Oles Anna L. Palid Michelle M Pandolfi, LMSW, MBA Pearl Pappas Urvi Patel Emily Paton Jerome A. Paulson, MD Mark Pedigo Rose Peifer Janet Perlman Alan Peterson, MD Sandra M. Peterson Sunita Phillips Cynthia Pittman-Osula Laura Piuca-Hinkes Phyllis Pleuss, LCSW Margaret Polinsky, MSW, PhD Lisa Ponce Douglas Popper Nancy Prowell, LCSW, CASAC, ACSW Elizabeth Pulido, LSW, MSW Rebecca Rabinowitz Joanna Ransdell Raven Anne Register, MSW, LICSW R. Reid Carole Reifsnyder Stacey Remick-Simkins Kim Reno Kathleen Repole Katherine Reynolds Ritchmy Richard Janet S. Richmond, LICSW Dr. Rachael Richter Shelly Rivas, MD Oscar Rivera Abraham Robert Jennifer G. Robinson, MD, MPH Vickie Robinson Nancy Rocco Peter and Debby Rockwood Gladis Rodriguez, LCSW Kim Roser-Kedward Federico Rossi, MD Cheryl A. Rothberg Harilyn Rousso K. Rowlett Debbie Royalty Hia Rubenstein Caitlin Rublee Colleen Ruffini Javier Santana, MD Shirley Sapena Rebecca Saunderson Sarah Schear, MS, MD Candidate Melissa Schedler Julia Schoen, MD Jonathan Sellman, MD, MPH Emily Senay William T. Shahan, LCSW Rebeca Shalom David Shannon, LICSW Abigail Shepherd Elizabeth Shumate Daria Sievers, MSW, LCSW Jeremy M. Silcox Felicia Simpson Claire Siverson, LCSW Alison Smith Ann Smith, LCSW-C David L. Smith, MD Kathleen Smith Sherry Smith Wayne Solomon Sudarshan Srirangapatanam Mickie Stimpson, LCSW Abigail Stoyer, BSW Paul Stretch Sarah Struthers, MD Michelle Studer Megan Stys Any Sucich, LCSW-R Barbara J. Swanson Jan Swanson, Psy.D., LP, ABPP, FAIHM Nicole Sweet Amy Elise Tanner Nancy Tanner J. Michael Taylor, MD, MPH Eileen Templin Catherine Thomasson, MD Melissa Timpson Adrian Todd Catherine Toms Richard Torbeck Shirley Tung, LCSW Ron Unger, LCSW Dorinda VanKempen Athena Viscusi Carmela C. Vittorio, MD Susan Wack Maya Wahrman Shannon Wall Hobart Walling, MD Patricia M. Wallace, LMSW Hugh J. Walker Clara Weeks-Boutilier Wendy Weinberg Leticia White Nicole Whitman Sarah Wiard Kelly Williams Kimberly D. Williams, PhD Mary L. Williams, MD Aubri J. Wing, LICSW Jeanie Witcraft-Shiau Susan Witt Jennifer Wittmann, LCSW, LCAS Harry Wollenberg Pat Woodside Dr. Michael Wright Destinea Wright-Perkins Xai Yang Byron Yue Fred Zang James Zanzucchi Lela Zaphiropoulos Rebecca Zeligman, LCSW-C Megan Ziegler Christine Zimmerman Deanna Zobel-Grey Daniela Zollo |